


Alone - so utterly alone

by Lionessinthedark



Series: The life of Doctor Strange [3]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Reality, Character Death, Endgame Fix-It, M/M, Marvel Avengers Endgame trailer, Marvel Endgame trailer, Memories, Mentions of Sex, Not Really Character Death, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Time Travel, Time-Stone, avengers endgame au, dream - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-09-17 16:40:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16978197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lionessinthedark/pseuds/Lionessinthedark
Summary: I saw the trailer for Avengers Endgame – and this happened.  The clip with a thin and resigned and exhausted Tony haunted me and I had to 'repair it'. A lot of things in this small story might not be understandable if you haven't read my other stories about Stephen Strange and Tony Stark. Still both of them WIP's, but they will be finished. Just know that Stephen and Tony are in a relationship.Right now I am only looking out of one eye, as I had the other one operated on. It is going fine – I am just seeing double -  and my brain gets rather tired of doing that. I can always wear an eye-patch and pretend I am Nick Fury or a pirate – but I am not allowed to do that too much. My eye has to learn (or is it my brain?) to see again. So welcome headache and post operation pain. It is getting better and a way of distracting myself is to write, if only for a short time and with one eye. So here it is.It got a bit longer than I first imagined. So now there are 3 chapters. Ahem...4!





	1. Chapter one

Stephen woke up in the middle of the night in his and Tony's bed in the Sanctum– and for once it wasn't his own nightmares awakening him. It was Tony, who talked and sighed and moved in his dream – and as Stephen conjured a dim light, he could see a pained and yet resigned look on Tony's face – and silent tears running down his cheeks. And Tony mumbled, “Alone – so utterly alone”.

 

“Tony – Love! Wake up – it is just a dream. I am here and you are not alone. Wake up, please.”, and Stephen kissed Tony's wet cheeks.

 

Tony slowly opened his eyes, “Stephen?”

 

“I am here, Love, you are not alone. It was just a – well – some sort of dream and we are both here on Earth and everything is solved and...”

 

Tony smiled and touched Stephen's face, “You are rambling – and yet it was my nightmare. I am fine now. It is just seldom that...” his voice trailed off.

 

“Seldom that what?”

 

“Seldom that dreams are so lifelike – with smell and touch and bodily feelings. It felt so real. Have you ever tried that?”

 

Stephen made the light brighter and just looked at Tony, who smiled and said, “Yeah – I know – asking you about that is a bit silly. You, the uncrowned master of much to real dreams.”

 

Stephen smiled back and moved so Tony's head was resting against Stephen's broad chest and Stephen's arm was holding him tight. Tony's pulse was still a bit elevated, “Care to tell about it?”, said Stephen and kissed Tony's forehead, “It sometimes helps a lot – just talking.”

 

Tony snuggled closer to Stephen, just as Stephen used to do, when he had had his fair share of nightmares. More often than Tony.

 

“Well”, began Tony, “I can't recall that dreams have been so real before. Sometimes they turn into something weird and you can't remember what happened before or how you got from A to B. But as I dreamed this, I knew exactly what had happened before. It was like real memories. I remembered Titan. How I was wounded – how Thanos got the Time-stone from you in exchange for my life. How he disappeared and how everybody started to turn to dust, except from me and Nebula. And you never returned. Nebula helped me to get to Quill's ship, Benetar, and she looked at my wound and decided that she couldn't do anything about it. The Nanites had sealed it all right and one functioning kidney ought to be enough and together Nebula and I, we helped each other. She was fascinated with my nano-housing and I sort of helped her accepting that she was a cyborg. Not as good as you did in 'Reality 1' and 'Reality 2', but enough to help her. And together she and I had repaired Quill's ship. Her own ship had been to destroyed, but we did save spare-parts and together with my track-suit....”

 

“The one that looked like a normal track-suit? The grey one?”, asked Stephen.

 

And Tony nodded, “That one. It is a part of the nano-tech as well – was a part – I don't need it any-more – but I needed it back then. Well – together with pieces of that suit and the rest of my Nanites, and spare-parts from the Q-ship and Nebula's ship, we managed to repair the ship enough to get away from Titan. But the jump-part broke at our third jump and we were stranded somewhere near the Orion-nebula. I told Nebula that she should continue the travel towards Earth in the remaining escape-pod. The jump-function was still intact in that one. But the oxygen-supply and the CO2-absorber were a bit wobbly on a good day - and not functioning at all on a bad day.”

 

Tony turned so he could look at Stephen, who somehow looked a bit guilty. Tony frowned but decided to let it be for that moment and turned back, gave Stephen's arm a small squeeze and continued, “She could more easily survive those dangerous low levels of oxygen and high levels of CO2, than I could. I knew – even then – that she had only a very few small biological-based parts of her original body left – and that she could survive without oxygen for days. And without food for even longer – and water. We divided our last rations of water and food into two. She insisted on giving me the biggest part. I told her that she would probably be back, before I would run out of food and water and oxygen. And then she left. Maybe to her death – maybe not. See – that was what I remembered – like real memories, before the events in my dream. No wait...I remembered that I rigged something to absorb more CO2, because a human body can survive rather low levels of oxygen, if only the level of CO2, is low enough too – and I improved the water-absorber – getting more water back from my waste – and from the air. I think I calculated that it would buy me at least 14 days more, before I would run out.”

 

Tony turned again and looked at Stephen, who just kissed him, very well understanding what Tony didn't say – that he would always use his genius to try to survive – even drawing his last breath, because that was what Tony was like – never allowing himself to give up – because 'giving up' was never in his vocabulary – never allowed. Just the same mindset that Stephen had – and the mindset that had made Stephen continue in Dormammu's realm, being killed more than 2000 times – and the mindset that had kept Stephen looking through 14.000.605 possible futures – more or less possible – to find the exactly right one. As he had done. Because Thanos had been defeated and a new reality had been made. A reality where Thanos' snap had not killed half of all life, not in the Universe, not even in the Milky Way and not even in the Nine Realms and 500 other planets. The Snap had sent Thanos into a pocket mirror-dimension, where he had thought, he had succeeded and the rest of the planets in the Nine Realms and a few others had been unaffected. The only thing Thanos had managed to destroy in this 'Reality2' was to destroy the gauntlet and damage his left hand and arm.

 

Pepper had sent her husband Tony back into the arms of Stephen Strange. She had realised that Stephen would be a so much better partner for Tony, than she could ever be. She loved Tony Stark, but hated that he was Iron Man. And now they had this weird 'Marriage a Trois' - with an almost asexual woman, and two bi-sexual men – and it worked. She didn't mind a kiss and a hug, but not having sex was so much OK with her and right now she was just worried about Baby Morgan's eating- and sleeping-habits and if all her fuss and bad temper was about her first tooth arriving. Tony would give Pepper a kiss and a hug – and so would Stephen. And the two men would be sleeping together – in every sense of the word.

 

Tony and Stephen had a shared bedroom in the Stark Tower and in the Sanctum and it was not every night they managed to sleep together – or doing other activities in bed - together. They were both busy men – even if the World right now was rather peaceful, compared to the insanity before and right after Thanos.

 

“Continue – please.”, said Stephen.

 

Tony snuggled even closer and continued, “That is where my dream started. It was so real. I could smell myself. Even if the space ship couldn't 'jump' it was still able to keep a decent level of light and warmth. But it didn't help with the food- and water-situation, even if I tried to make it last as long as possible. The dream was so real. I could smell myself: Sweat and acetone – my body was eating itself. The ketone-metabolism caused me to breathe out acetone and pee it too. The whole spaceship smelled as if it was a beauty- parlour and as if I had used my time to put nail-polish on my nails.”

 

“Or was starving severely...”, Stephen interrupted.

 

Tony nodded and continued, “I didn't even feel thirst or hunger any-more. I just felt weak. I remember that I had found a shaver and did my best not to look like a cave-man, but at least keeping-up-appearances – and I wanted to look decent, when – if - I was found. Even if it would only be as a corpse. I had seen my face in the mirror and I could see that I had lost so much muscles-mass. My arms and legs were thin. The bags under my eyes had their own bags and my cheekbones was almost as prominent as yours!” And he reached out and caressed Stephen's cheek.

 

Stephen smiled, but didn't say a thing, just looked fondly at Tony as Tony continued, “I was recording my final words into the last remaining part of my armour – the helmet - and I do remember what I said and recorded, “ _Dear Miss Potts, if you find this recording, don't feel bad about this, part of the journey is the end. Just for the record being adrift in space with zero promise of rescue is more fun than it sounds. Food and water ran out four days ago, oxygen will run out tomorrow morning and I mean it, when I drift off, I will dream about you, it is always you.”_

 

Tony turned again and looked at Stephen, “I am sorry , Love, but it was how I felt. You and I - in this dream - never had the chance of.....”

 

Stephen kissed Tony, “No need to apologize. I know that you and I never had the chance in....”

 

And as he stopped, he had an expression of guilt on his face, “I am sorry, Tony. This dream is my fault.”

 

Tony frowned, “It was my dream. How can it be your fault in any way?”

 

Stephen moved a bit and then he began, “You know – when I told you how I looked out into the future and saw more than 14 million possibilities?”

 

Tony nodded and answered, “You told me there were two ways: either sort of flying and looking down at something our brains can't understand, so our brains make a simpler picture: a landscape of moving treads, each tread representing a person – and there were blurred parts and if you came closer it would look like hundreds of pictures on a computer-screen at the same time – and IF you landed in one of the possibilities, then you would have chosen that future. And then something about that the ancient masters saw it more like books, which were writing themselves – like something out of a Harry Potter movie. So yes – I do remember.”

 

Stephen nodded and still looked a bit guilty, “But I told you as well how I had to live some of the futures, where I fled with the Time-stone and made things so much worse – Thanos got the Time-stone in the end – after thousands of years. And his hunt for me and what I had to do to stay alive, had ruined thousands of planets, killed a lot of beings and turned me into a worse monster, than he had ever been.”

 

Tony nodded, “So I guess that you sometimes can 'land' without choosing?”

 

Stephen sighed, “Yes – as long as I made sure that the time-line that every lower being has to follow – we have to follow 'the arrow of time' - entropy –and the mightier beings don't have to do that - as long as I made sure that 'time' didn't catch up on me, I could land and live through bits and pieces of possible futures, that would never come to be. And I would have to do that, because all I could see just before Titan and what I could see on Titan, if I just had the helicopter-perspective, was a 'misty valley'. I could see the treads of peoples lives moving up on the other side of that 'valley' – or I could see not all the treads – or only half the treads – but exactly which actions would lead to which versions of the future – it was in a mist. Only when I came close enough, I could see details.”

 

And Stephen stopped talking to give Tony time to understand. Not that he needed much time – he was a genius after all.

 

Tony frowned as he thought about the consequences of what Stephen had said, “So – since you told me as the Q-ship with that abominable slimy grey elephant-nosed wizard, Ebony Maw, was in New York, that you and the other sorcerers had all been in a mist for a while – looking-out-into-the-future-vise – and since you managed to tell us all on Titan about the 14.000.605 possible futures after having been glowing green for a while – now you tell me that what you told me about just hovering over that landscape of treads and not landing at all. That was sort of avoiding the truth?”

 

Stephen nodded, “I could 'land' – and I did 'land'. And I sort of told you, when I told you about what would have happened, if I had just fled with the Time-stone, instead of buying your life with it.” Stephen paused and then he continued, “And because you and I are so closely connected....”

 

Tony smirked, “As in my cock up your arse? We can hardly be more connected – well the other way around is rather nice too.....”

 

Stephen huffed and interrupted, “I meant in a more spiritually way – and that is my fault because....”

 

Tony nodded and said, “Because you and I being so close – on all levels – means that I might share something with you – memories? Is that why you know me so well?”

 

Stephen nodded, “A part of the explanation – yes. And I can't help it. That I shared some of my substance with you as I healed you on Titan, it didn't make the connection lesser. I am so terrible sorry, Tony. I can shield you from nightmares . But not from my memories.”

 

Tony frowned, “But...but it doesn’t make sense on two levels. First – how can you shield me from nightmares, but not from memories of nightmares? And second – how can I alone in a spaceship be a memory of a future-never-to-be, if you were dust in that future? How could you 'live' that part, if you weren't there?”

 

Stephen moved a bit and hugged Tony even closer and kissed him before he continued, “I can shield you from my worst nightmares, because they are sealed and locked away in my mind. Of all beings in the Universe, it was Clea who helped me doing that, despite that she was the niece of the very demon killing me and torturing me all those years ago – and despite her being a demon herself. And the answer to your second question is, that I didn't need a body to live through those possible futures. Just like The Ancient One didn't need her body after she had died. She stayed on Earth for many years after her death and only left, because she became a channel for evil beings from another dimension.”

 

Tony frowned again and asked, “How was that possible future then, since you didn't choose it? It can't have been that you didn't exist, because you told me on Titan – in Reality 1, that you hadn't seen your own tread continuing, and you had accepted that. And you can't have dismissed a future just because I died, could you? Because I suppose I died in that spaceship.”

 

Stephen smiled and didn't answer directly but asked, “Why do you want to know?”

 

“Curiosity?”

 

“Very well. I didn't choose that future – when I had a possibility to find out what part of the tangled mess, that would lead to that future – because that future did free people from the Soul-stone – a lot of people did a lot of things to alter the 'Snap'. Prevented the 'Snap' from happening – just as we did, so people never 'died' and ended up inside the Soul-stone. But the outcome became a reality very different from this reality and it was not a reality any one of us wanted to live in – it was a nightmare! And compared to what Thanos' snap had done – I am tempted to say, that it would have been a better outcome!

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony can't let go of the dream - and he he curious. What happened and how did he get away from that space-ship? The feeling of utter loneliness stays with him and Stephen agrees on telling Tony what happened in that reality. Just to fill the night, so they can go back to sleep afterwards. Tony is told how he survived. But later Tony somehow wished that Stephen hadn't told him about that future.

Stephen continued, “All the actions just postponed Thanos' snap with a few centuries. I 'lived' in that future – and was of course alive and not turned to dust – that part worked fine. But as I was allowed to use the Time-stone a few times – it was taken away from us sorcerers – and I was only allowed a few limited jumps forward and under strict supervision, I could see that Thanos eventually would get hold of all the stones again. He hadn't been killed. The deities hadn't interfered and he hadn't been put in a pocket dimension. He had just become even more determined to fulfil his insane dream. I didn't tell the government and its agents and despite the consequences for my fellow sorcerers, - they were all killed – I used the Time-Stone to get away and return to Titan, were you saw me glowing green.”

 

Tony frowned, “Was that future so bad? Just because I was dead?”

 

Stephen shook his head, “Tony, Love. You didn't die – not even before they mended the Snap.”

 

“But how on Earth did I survive in a dead spaceship without oxygen?!”

 

“Well, you didn't really. But you had used that brilliant mind of yours....” and then Stephen stopped and asked, “...Do you really want to hear all of this or just the short version?”

 

Tony snuggled closer to Stephen, “I can't sleep any way. This dream is still in my mind. I you don't mind, I would like to hear why this future was such a terrible one. And then I can kiss you – and maybe something more – if you are up to it – and we can both be so relieved that this never came to be. And then - maybe – I can sleep. Right now a part of me is still abandoned in that broken space-ship.”

 

Stephen kissed the top of Tony's head, “I am still terrible sorry for not shielding you from this memory – I will do better in the future.”

 

Tony smirked, “Well – if such nightmares ends with some I-will-make-it-up-to-you-Tony-sex – I wouldn't mind.”

 

“You don't have to 'have' something on me to have sex, Tony. I am always up to it. You have turned me into a horny 20-year-old-hormone-ridden young man again. You just have to look at me in a certain way and wriggle with that magnificent arse of yours and I am ready to remove your clothing with a magic spell – and my own too, create a mirror-dimension and kneel in front of you and swallow you down to the root, you know that! Or kneel on our bed, arse up in the air, using my long fingers to stretch myself open and ready for you and enjoy the stretch and the feeling of you entering me – filling me with your lovely big cock and hitting my prostate – over and over again.”

 

Tony took a deep breath to cool himself down again and turned his head and looked at Stephen. Then he moved Stephen's hand so it touched Tony's crotch – and his cock, which had been flaccid, because the dream he had had, was most certainly NOT erotic in any way - his cock had now most certainly risen to the occasion.

 

“You said that with your 'dark-chocolate-covered-jaguar-hiding-in-a-cello-voice' – on purpose. Feel what you do to me! I can join the hormonal-20-years-young-man-club together with you. And you should talk about 'magnificent arse'! You – lying there – ready on our bed with your arse up in the air. And yes – I do sometimes prefer to take you from behind. You really have such a lovely arse, Stephen. Just as lovely as mine!”

 

“Modest as ever”, mumbled Stephen and continued with his narration, “Well. Longer version then. Tony – you didn't die. Or you did – sort of. But invented 'cryo-sleep' at the same time. You were there in this spaceship. Starving and on ketone-metabolism. And you were severely dehydrated too. In a confined area. You were breathing and drinking the acetone from your own metabolism and it was everywhere. It altered you on a cellular level. People had starved before – even more extremely – think of the concentration-camps during WW2. But they weren't that dehydrated and not in a confined area. People had been in confined areas, but then they weren't that dehydrated or didn't starve that much...or getting that cold.”

 

Tony frowned, “Oh..those miners – in Chile – in 2010. They were a bit dehydrated and hungry – but you are right. They weren't cold. And they got water and food – even if it wasn't totally enough, after only 14 days. Stark Industries did help. We send the drilling materials and developed the probes and finally the last big one, to get them to the surface.”

 

He smiled at Stephen, “Such a shame that you couldn't offer to portal them out.”

 

“We could have – if we could have got a sorcerer down to them. But we couldn't portal down to them – we might have risked 'portalling' us right into the solid cliff. And you did a good job getting them out. If that had gone wrong, we might have suggested that we might help. - Well back to you in that spaceship: You used your brilliant mind to give yourself another minuscule chance of survival, because your mind never gives up. In the last minutes, before you ran out of oxygen, you had programmed the ship to lower the temperature. Not to the absolute zero – because metals and plastics and other materials turn funny at Zero Kelvin, but below zero Celcius – about minus 15, I think, and when you were found, you were frozen solid. Dead as a doornail, but not beyond being capable of being thawed., because you were practically soaked in acetone and that prevented your cells from getting too much frost-damage.”

 

Stephen stopped talking to give Tony a chance to take in everything Stephen had told.

 

Tony nodded, “It might work. A very slim chance – but worth taking. Who rescued me?”

 

Stephen gave Tony a light squeeze, “An Alien race. They had been affected by Thanos' Snap as well and they found you, drifting in a still lit up spaceship, because you had ordered the ship to maintain light on as long as possible. Because finding a dark object in dark space is almost impossible – so they found you. Found out you were from Earth and delivered you – still frozen – in Wakanda.”

 

“Where Shuri found a way to thaw me?”

 

Stephen shook his head, “No. Shuri had turned to dust as well. But others had worked together with her in that laboratory – and they thawed you. You had nerve damage, and a light brain-damage which might explain why.....” And Stephen stopped talking.

 

“Why what, Stephen?”, asked Tony and turned so he could look at Stephen's face.

 

Stephen looked at Tony and gave him a kiss, “Why you decided that fiddling with time and history, would be such a good idea.”

 

Tony frowned, “I don't understand – 'fiddling with time and history' – what do you mean?”

 

Stephen hugged him again, “Tony – please understand that the man, you were in that reality, is in no way the man you are now. Just as I am not the monster I became, as I fled with the Time-Stone for millenniums.”

 

Tony nodded and understood, what Stephen didn't say and he just asked, “I was that terrible?”

 

“Not terrible per se. Just not very functioning in your frontal lobes. The rest of you was as brilliant as ever – but your common sense and your normal very cautious approach to new things – were gone together with the damaged brain-cells, mostly in your frontal lobes. And no one noticed.”

 

Stephen paused and took a deep breath before he continued, “It is not without reason that only the very skilled masters were allowed to wear the Eye of Agamotto and use the Time-Stone. I can very well understand why Karl Mordo and Wong panicked as they saw me using it – for what they thought was the first time. They didn't have to worry. I new exactly what I did and I wasn't some teenager trying something just for fun. I used very controlled and carefully crafted experiments. Just as I had done as a doctor. And all the risks – I was very aware of them. The Ancient One and I had discussed those a lot of times during that winter, where I lived in Kamar-Taj, before I became her apprentice. The concept of time-travel, even if she didn't mention that the masters had a way of doing that. We discussed it on an abstract level.”

 

Stephen stopped and looked at Tony and asked, “You know about the risks?”

 

Tony nodded and counted on his fingers, “Let me see - “ _The time-loop_ ” - The risk of being caught for an eternity in a loop of time, not being able to get out. HG Wells was one of the first writers writing a story about that. Then there is “ _The bootstrap-paradox_ ” where, let us say, a young composer is visited by a stranger from the future, who gives him the piece of music, which made him famous – and later in his life, he had to be the stranger visiting his younger self in order to give himself that piece of music. As if you are lifting yourself out of a swamp by your own boot-straps. Then there is “ _The predestination paradox_ ” - where the time-traveller is the cause of the action, he or she wanted to prevent. “ _Time-travellers paradox" –_ you go back in time, somehow you kill your grand-father. Then you are not born and can't go back in time and kill your grand-father. In that case he continues to live, you are born and go back in time and so on and so on. Until this paradox makes the Universe collapse. _“Meeting your self'_ \- you go back in time – meet yourself and the trauma of the meeting or the knowledge that you were alive at that point, alters the future. ' _The butterfly-effect'_ \- just a minuscule alteration of the past has enormous effect on the future. Named after a theory from meteorology about how the flutter of a butterfly's wings can cause a hurricane months after in the Atlantic Ocean. Then there is the “ _Murdering Hitler-paradox_ ” - because you would have prevented WW2, by going back in time and kill Hitler. But then Hitler wouldn't have been infamous, and you had no knowledge about him being dangerous, so why should you then travel back in time and kill him? A lot of science-fiction writers have thought and written and have made films about that. I think it is what I can remember right now. But Stephen – that was what we did – to create 'Reality 2' – the one we are living in now, wasn't it? Going back in time – changing things?”

 

“It was – and with great care. And almost just altering things to the – how can I explain? - To the possible future just next to the 'real' one. Does it makes sense? What we created in 'Reality 2' was minor changes – and actually mending the mistakes the Deities had made by not interfering sooner.”

 

Tony thought about Stephen words and finally said, “I see. - and we know now that time follows Earth's place in space. So travelling back in time, just doesn't leave you hanging in open space, where Earth was just a few days ago.”

 

“No – in that case travelling in time would be impossible – even with the Time-Stone. Time and space cling to bigger objects – even a space-ship - like water does under zero-gravity. Much to the surprise of astronauts on the first space-stations or spaceships. It made it easier to control human waste - made it easier to eat and made it easier to maintain personal hygiene.”

 

Tony turned to look at Stephen, “Were you never tempted to alter more? As in preventing your hands from being damaged?”

 

“Very often. But in that case Earth would not have existed now, but have been a part of Dormammu's realm.”

 

“Hmm – you could have killed – what was his name? - Kaecilius? Or you could have stolen the book – or burned it ..or..”

 

“Don't think it had never been thought of – by the masters before me – and we were warned so much against it. We – humans – and other species – are supposed to follow a time-line that in the end – hopefully – will lead us to become mighty beings. Other species have followed that line – but have made the mistake of 'leaving flesh' too soon. Apparently the development of the mind stops or slows down, when there is no interaction with some sort of body. But that time-line can be disturbed and we will never reach that future. Thanos' Snap made the time-line wobble a bit this time. His actions destroyed whole planets before he had the Gauntlet – and the Gods didn't interfere – because those species weren't interesting enough...”

 

Tony frowned again, “....but we are?!”

 

“We are. I told you back on Titan, but you were wounded then and maybe not listening that much. The Deities did get it wrong. I suppose their data-bases can have glitches as well. Running on Windows 8 or something. They thought we were 5 million years old as a species – and here we were, barely 150.000 years old. That is why we were allowed to break a few rules. Not that 'two wrongs make one right' – but our time-line was disturbed and one thing they could do, was allowing some space to change things – when they had fucked up, by allowing Thanos to do so much damage. Well it was never 'the whole Universe' – not even all of the Milky Way. Just – hm – but it was bad enough – the planets from the 'Nine Realms' and about 500 more. And we would have discovered that Thanos literally had 'killed half of all life' – Madam Death told me. She is so much above us, that she didn't understand the complications, until I told her about how life is on primitive planets, where everything is 'bound to flesh'. About bacteria in our guts and in the soil. About the enormous layer of life deep down in Earth's crust – about micro-organisms and bacteria that makes life possible. And that big purple idiot had killed half of all that too. Thank God it didn't matter so much – because we created another reality. But using my 'helicopter-look' I could see how even half of the threads did diminish further. So – not a possibility. “

 

Tony nodded, “But according to you, I managed to fuck up big in that alone-on-the-space-ship-reality. So what went wrong?”

 

Stephen smiled, “Well thinking back, your space-ship reality was maybe not so bad as Thanos killing half of all life including bacteria and micro organisms. But it wasn't as good as this – so since I got a chance to choose – even if it was one without me, I did choose this one. You would have got away from Titan with the help of Nebula anyway..”

 

Tony huffed, “Well – look how that went: Me totally alone in the middle of nowhere in a ruined space-ship!”

 

Stephen hugged him, “I didn't bother to look exactly how you got away. I just saw your thread continue together with the rest of the threads of almost all people – that was good enough for me.”

 

Tony felt tears sting in his eyes. That dream had left him a bit vulnerable – and that Stephen just had accepted that there was no future for him, but for the rest of humanity – including Tony – and that that had been all right, well – it was a bit too close to home, because Tony would have done the exactly same thing.

 

He snuggled closer to Stephen, “Tell me why this future, where I was thawed, was so bad. Because the Snap was reversed? Never happened?”

 

“The a bit shorter version, then. Because the longer version would take hours – and I would like to make love to you – and maybe sleep a little before we have to face the world again.”

 

Tony kissed him and asked, “Do you have to go back to Kamar-Taj again?”

 

Stephen nodded, “The problems are not totally solved – not yet. So yes. I don't have to stay away several days this time. I will be home for supper.”

 

“Thanks to portals..”

 

“Thanks to portals – yep. So you were found and brought back to Earth. And it is getting a bit confusing keeping those possible futures apart. So let us just call the Tony-alone-in-a-space-ship for 'Reality 3' and the one you and the remaining Avengers – and Scott Lang – managed to make, for 'Reality 4'. So as....”

 

“Whoha...wait a moment, Stephen. Scott Lang was caught in the Quantum Realm – how on Earth did he manage to not be caught in 'Reality 3'?”

 

Stephen didn't answer right away, but then he continued, “He stumbled over a secret – oh we humans weren't supposed to know about the Quantum Realm – let alone being able to enter it with a body. Only the most skilled sorcerers can enter it – and that only with our soul – our ethereal appearance. The things Hank Pym found out about – it is just as if a chimpanzee wrote Shakespeare's plays on a computer it had invented on its own. The discovery of the Quantum Realm and the machinery to enter it and most importantly – the machinery to return from it again – it was supposed to be something way out in the future. And Scott Lang – we kept an eye on him. He seemed so irresponsible and...”

 

Tony smiled, “Yeah. We kept an eye on him too. And he did participate in the 'Civil War' and..”

 

Stephen interrupted and smirked and said, “Well – the little fight you had in the corner of the school yard?”

 

“You! - it was serious enough for the involved – and yes – seeing it from this point of time – built on a lot of misunderstandings. I still feel that I was right, though.”

 

Stephen hugged him, “And you were – and you got your apology from Steve – and the others.”

 

Tony turned so he could see Stephen's face, “Well – at that point all our quarrels didn't mean a fucking thing, because we had to work together. We had too much to loose, if we didn't. The world had too much to loose. I can understand, though, why they chose do do as they did. I can even understand why Steve didn't tell me about Bucky and what he had done as the 'Winter-soldier'...”

 

Stephen kissed him and continued, “You can understand and accept that now – because you have functioning frontal lobes. In 'Reality 3' you didn't. And you caused a catastrophe. Several catastrophes.”

 

“Oh God – what did I do?”

 

“You, and the remaining Avengers, ruined the world, Tony.”

 


	3. chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well - it grew a bit more. So now there will be 4 chapters. I hope you don't mind. We learn a lot more about the future were Tony ended up in that space-ship and why that future was a disaster. I borrowed a lot from the trailer.

From chapter 2:

 

“ _You, and the remaining Avengers, ruined the world, Tony.”_

 

Tony sucked in a breath and asked worriedly, “Oh shit...how?“

 

“Well – that was a bit harshly said, because you didn't do it alone. A lot of others were involved too. If only Wong hadn't been at Kamar-Taj, when it all began and I hadn't been away from the Sanctum or Karl Mordo had been there when they arrived, then....”

 

“They?”, interrupted Tony.

 

“I will get to that later. In the beginning it was just minor differences – with huge impact.”, was Stephen's answer and he continued, “What you did, was actually brilliant – at first – and didn't leave more impact that our actions in Reality 1.”

 

Stephen sighed and looked out into the air – lost in memories – memories that he would prefer to forget, but Tony had asked. And Stephen would do anything for Tony. So he continued, “One of the key-persons was Scott Lang – Ant Man.”

Stephen paused and looked at Tony, “For a long time – as we sorcerers kept an eye on him and on Hank Pym. For a long time I bought Scott's disguise – and saw him as a reckless, immature guy, where Peter would look like a very wise old man in comparison. But he is very intelligent and determined and trustworthy in his own way. Even if he choose the wrong side in the Civil War. It took me some time to realise, that his immature behaviour was just a disguise – something to hide behind, just like your and mine arrogance and your silly behaviour.”

 

“Hey – I am not hiding...”, began Tony, but Stephen just looked at him and Tony shut his mouth – because he still did hide behind his earlier 'play-boy' behaviour, when he was out of his usual surroundings. And he still did hide – behind his Tony-Stark-signature-glasses and is Tony-Stark-signature-behaviour .

 

Tony smiled, “Go on...yes I do hide sometimes – still.”

 

“So do I. 'Teen-age-trauma'...right? Well – as I said. Scott Lang was a key-person. When Thanos snapped his fingers, Scott was in the Quantum Realm – to collect particles to cure Ava. You know her as 'Ghost'..”

 

Tony frowned, “Oh – yes. The young woman, who helped us and then...what happened to her?”

 

“She just decided to get herself a normal life. She lives in Idaho now, I think. And it was so stupid that neither she, nor Hank came to us sorcerers. We could have helped getting Jane Pym back years ago – and have helped Ava, so she didn't have to be 'phasing' and be in pain. But we didn't know – and can't know every little thing going on.”

 

“How could you have helped?”

 

“Tony – the Quantum Realm is not stranger than other realms we sometimes visit. Not in body, in that regard Hank Pym was a genius. But we - or at least very skilled sorcerers, can enter the Quantum Realm – and most importantly – return again - in our ethereal appearance. We just need a tether to this world. Some sort of connection. Normally we would concentrate on a specific item – or a colleague. We could have located Jane back in 1987 and showed her how to return, even in body. And we could have collected those particles for Ava years ago. If we just ad known – and this our lack of knowledge lead to disaster in this Reality 3 and 4.”

 

Tony just looked at Stephen and Stephen continued, “In Reality 3, Scott Lang managed to get out of the Quantum Realm on his own. He remembered something Jane had said, something about having a strong connection to this world. In Jane's case it was her connection to her daughter Hope – and Scott remembered as he discovered he was stranded in the Quantum Realm. He didn't know that Hank and Jane and Hope had turned to dust, but he couldn't get in contact with them. And then he managed – after relatively short time – compared to the time Jane had been caught anyway – to connect himself with his daughter – and found himself on the floor of her bedroom. In his suit and in his normal size. Unfortunately he had made a discovery that he wasn't supposed to make at the same time.”

 

“A discovery?”

 

“That the Quantum realm can be used for time-travel.”

 

“But how?”

 

“We don't know. Just as we don't know – and have discussed with Hank and Jane afterwards – in this reality – how you can be in the Quantum Realm and have a body. In the Quantum Realm a Planck-length is an immense distance, whereas it in our Universe is the shortest possible length at all. And how can you have a body there, when the atoms in your body is as big as planets in there? Jane even told us – and you heard that – that she didn't eat or drink all those years she was trapped. So – the conclusion must be that despite having a body that can walk around and touch things in that weird world – it is not a body as we know it.. Somehow it is easier to understand how we can be there as a soul and without a body. Who knows the size of a soul, anyway?”

 

“Hmm...I see. But time-travel? And how come Scott didn't discover it here in our version?”

 

“Because here in Reality 1 it was Ava who got him out. She had been in her 'chamber' – the machinery that lessened her pain and her 'phasing'. And when she got out, Thanos had caused his havoc. She managed to get to the site, where the equipment still was standing and of course no sight of Hank, Jane or Hope. Just dust. She managed to reload the van with all the equipment and got back to Hanks laboratory through the havoc that traffic had become because of the Snap. Locked the doors and had her own supply of electricity – so she was independent - and spend the next 3 weeks to figure out how to get Scott out. Not that she liked the man that much – but he was supposed to collect something that would cure her. So as we were struggling to repair this Reality 1, she managed to get Scott out of the Quantum Realm. As we changed the reality into Reality 2, Scott just returned as planned with the Quantum particles and Ava was cured. She thought for a long time that her memories about another outcome, memories of her struggling to find out how the equipment worked and memories of people turning to dust around her, was just an effect of her 'phasing'. “

 

Stephen stopped talking and Tony nodded. Then Tony wanted to know, “And in Tony-alone-in-a-space-ship-reality?”

 

“In that reality Scott ran out of his daughter's house. Rushed to the place where the van was standing, in order to find out what had happened to Hank, Jane and Hope. And from a distance he saw himself get out of the van, put on the Ant-man suit and disappear into the Quantum Realm. And then he saw Hank and Jane and Hope turn into dust. Now it was Scott himself who collected the equipment and drove the van to the laboratory. Picked up his daughter on the way, managed to drive through the insanity that the traffic had turned into. Found Ava in her chamber and gave her the particles from the Quantum Realm. And locked the doors and worked on finding out what the heck had happened. And how he had been able to return before he had disappeared into the Quantum Realm. He wasn't stupid – and Ava wasn't exactly stupid either. It didn't take long for them – looking through Hank's notes – to find out that the Quantum Realm might be used for time-travel.”

 

“Oh shit...”

 

“And that is why, as you were dying in that space-ship, Scott and his daughter and Ava turned up at the Avenger's Facility, where Natasha and Steve saw him at the gate – and couldn't believe their own eyes. He had been listed as 'lost'.”

 

“And?”

 

“I am going to make this the short version. So – you returned. Were in Wakanda. Had all the modern equipment you needed and Shuri's co-workers. Now you had Scott and Ava as well and the remaining Avengers: Bruce, Clint, Steve, Natasha and Rocket and Thor as well. Rocket and Thor were important because of their knowledge about some of the Infinity-stones and Nidavellir.“

 

Stephen paused and hugged Tony, “Please Tony, remember that this was a brain-damaged Tony, who had been through just one trauma to many. You accepted that Steve was around – but you two never talked together and here in this 'Reality 3' and 'Reality 4' you never got your apology. That added to your trauma. Not that it could be detected on you – because the only other person, who could have seen how damaged you were – Pepper – was dust. You were obsessed with the thought of altering things, so Peter never would have to turn to dust, telling you he didn't want to go and his spider-powers made the process going agonizingly slow. In short – you worked your arse off and created a small device so people could enter the Quantum Realm and travel back in time.”

 

“Wow..”, said Tony and then he frowned, “But wouldn't that be extremely dangerous? I mean, in this reality it was very small steps and very carefully measured actions. This was without guidance and almost blindfolded, wasn't it? You were not there and what about Wong and the other sorcerers?”

 

“They didn't know – and if they had, they would have prevented it. But the irreparable damage happened so fast, that they didn't have time to prevent anything. When we discovered what happened, it was too late. The first Infinity-stone, which was collected by time-travel, was Vision's. He was contacted in Scotland, where he and Wanda had been hiding. Steve had made the time-travel. Vision was brought to Wakanda – and Shuri had a bit more time to extract the Mind-stone from him. Because she was visited back in time as well – long time before Thanos made his snap. But in order to give Shuri time to extract the Mind-stone, Killmonger had to be prevented. T'Challa wanted Killmonger to be brought to Wakanda as a child – as he learned about the possibility of time-travel – but it was not possible. If Killmonger didn't kill all those people, he had killed, it would change too much. You did understand that much. But instead Everett Ross was contacted – by Rocket of all beings – and was told that it was important that Ulysses Klaue, the weapon-merchant wouldn't get a chance to escape. Everett listened to Rocket's suggestions and killed Klaue, as the explosion, which was suppose to free Klaue, happened and then Everett Ross was flown to Wakanda as well. To be there and act as a tactician, as he had done when they were fighting Killmonger. Both Okoye and Nakia wanted him there, when they were told how he had helped.”

 

Stephen stopped talking and looked at Tony, “You see how one single action caused too many changes? We – in 'Reality 1' – wielded a scalpel with the precision of a surgeon. You used a butcher's knife in this Reality 3 – and it got worse, Tony. When I finally got the chance to look at it all – when I finally got my hands on the Time-stone again – I made a few jumps, before I rejected this version of the future and discovered the disastrous decisions and their consequences and found a better version. This version – our version – even if I wasn't a part of it. Are you sure you want to hear about it?”

 

Tony nodded, “Go on!”

 

“Very well. You had a brilliant idea about where to hide the Mind-stone. You did hide it in the Quantum Realm. It could have been a potential catastrophe to remove the stones from this universe, but the Quantum Realm is thank God still a part of this universe – and hiding the stones there, it didn't make our Galaxy unstable. So removing the Mind-stone was enough to stop Thanos from doing his snap, but did not prevent him coming to Earth and wreck havoc with his Space-dogs or his Black Order. You suspected that, knowing about those huge space-ships and Thanos' Black Order: Ebony Maw, Cull Obsidian, Corvus Glaive, and Poxima Midnight and you knew that the Q-ships and the other ships with that huge number of space-dogs somehow should be prevented – so you needed to hide more stones. You still had knowledge about a few more:  Aether - had been on Earth – the Tesseract with the Space-stone too – because that was the one your father found. So that required another travel back in time. This time back to the World War II. Steve was send back in time.”

 

Stephen stopped talking again and then he looked at Tony, “If you had got the chance – and didn't know a thing about all those dangers that time-travel could cause – what would you have changed in your past, Tony?”

 

Tony closed his eyes and thought for a moment and then he said, “I think I would have prevented the death of my parents. I was far too young to have responsibility for such a big company – and Obadiah’s actions proved how easy I was to delude.”

 

Tony turned and looked at Stephen, “But then I wouldn't have become Iron-man – and then what? You and I have discussed that. Your hands – my chest. If we hadn't become who we are now – what would have happened on Earth?”

 

Stephen hugged him and said, “We know about the dangers. That 'Time' sometimes is a house of cards – very fragile - even if old time-lines can be surprisingly resilient against changes. 'Time-traveller's paradox' – remember? But 'Reality 3',  or rather 'Reality 4', since the snap now didn't happen, those persons didn't know about such dangers and were now using a sledgehammer on the time-line. Steve travelled back – and persuaded the scientist, who had altered him with the Super-soldier-serum, to alter both Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes. So now there were two Super-soldiers: 'Captain America' and 'Captain Stars and Stripes'. That prevented Bucky from becoming the Winter Soldier and Steve thought that that would save your parents. Steve still hated what Bucky had done as the Winter Soldier and still felt guilty about that. And then he returned to the future again. Now - back in 1943 to 1945 two super-soldiers and their group of Howling Commandos did fight HYDRA – and were more efficient. Smith had still turned himself into Red Skull – and was still hurled through time and space to Vormir – that wasn't changed. But Zola was wounded during one of the missions – and never turned himself into a living computer-programme. HYDRA was weakened and that meant in the end that Sokovia never became a base for HYDRA. Von Stucker never got his hands on the Sceptre. Wanda and Pietro were never changed and never became Scarlett Witch or Quicksilver – and Sokovia never became that battlefield, because HYDRA never had a base there and never had a reason to make riots. In the future that meant that Wanda disappeared in front of Vision's eyes – before he just faded away too.”

 

Tony nodded, “Because Ultron never happened. And therefore Vision never came to be.”

 

Then Tony frowned, “But if Vision never came to exist, then how could Shuri remove the stone and put it in the Quantum Realm?”

 

“She didn't. The Mind-stone never left Thanos' possession. Remember: he had it already and gave it to Loki before the attack on New York. So now another stone had to be retrieved before Thanos could get it. It was a tangled mess. Pull one tread and it all turns into a hard knot. It was Bucky, who was on the plane that crashed. And was frozen.  And the Space-stone still fell in the ocean. Your father still found that. Steve stayed and married Peggy Carter – and now modern-Steve faded away. He knew the risk but didn't care. He had never felt well in the modern world.”

 

And Tony said, “And 'The Civil War' never happened.”

 

“No – but your parents were still killed, Tony. Not by Bucky – but your father still had enemies. It just happened years later. I think you were 28 when it happened and all in all you had become your father's son. That version of Tony never questioned your father's decisions. Future-Tony never faded away – but he never became Iron-man – which at that point didn't mean a damned shit, because it was a total different world. You see - “

 

Tony interrupted, “But that would have made a paradox, wouldn't it? Because if I wasn't Iron-man, would I have invented those time-traveller-thingies?”

 

“You were not 'Iron-man' but you did invent those time-traveller-devices – working together with Hank Pym. I told you – 'Time' can sometimes be surprisingly resilient. But this version of reality got worse: Thor – who had not been in a good place after the Snap and the things leading up to it: Odin's death - Hela – Ragnarok. He was believing that he was the only Asgardian alive, so he had taken, or rather 'stolen' one of the 'devices' and had travelled back in time. To warn his younger self about Ragnarok and Loki's doings. This version of Thor – the time-traveller – never learned about Loki's important role in fighting Thanos with the hugest illusion ever made: hiding the real Asgardian ship and making Thanos and his Black Order believe that they had killed all the Asgardians and destroyed their ship. So young Thor killed young Loki – for good. If he had to choose between his father's life and Loki's – the decision was easily made. Now Odin was never weakened, Loki was gone, Hela was never freed, Surtur never got too strong and Ragnarok never happened. Odin took some time to find out, why his plan didn't work and why Loki never returned, as he was supposed to do. And Thanos never got the Space-stone, because it was still protected in Asgaard, after they collected it from Earth. So far so good. But the Mind-stone never ended up on Earth, because Thanos couldn't give it to Loki. The attack on New York never happened – and by the way – Hulk/Bruce never ended up on the Game-master's planet. Neither did Thor – and Valkyrie was never found. And one thing more: Eitri on Nidavellir was the only one left alive – because we never helped hiding his people in a mirror-dimension – and Thanos did kill all of them. Thanos was still out there planning to get the stones.”

 

“But you – the sorcerers – weren't you there and could see the changes?”

 

Stephen shook his head, “When a dam starts breaking – there is only so much water you can prevent from leaking through. Or another picture: a huge amount of domino tiles standing – push one – and they all start to fall. And we didn't have our Time-stone. We were weakened and SHIELD had become much too strong. Just like a person's immune-system – when it has nothing to fight, it begins to attack its own body: auto-immune-diseases like sclerosis, lupus, diabetes, psoriasis and so on. SHIELD never had to fight a strong HYDRA and became too powerful and too corrupt on its own. Rather early – and remember, Tony, that I lied about my own personal time-line. Rather early – already in the early 70ties - agents from SHIELD turned up at Kamar-Taj and the other temples and the Sanctums in New York, Hong Kong and London and demanded our sling-rings and the Time-stone. They knew about them because of time-travellers from Reality 4 – and now we were in a Reality 7. 8 or 211....I did loose track because of all the alterations. And I couldn't leave this time-line – this version of reality – because the Time-stone had been confiscated.”

 

Tony looked at him in horror, “But who defended Earth against threats from other dimensions? If you sorcerers were weakened?”

 

Stephen shook his head, “Tony – I had chosen that future, the Tony-alone-in-a-space-ship-reality. Chosen to at least to have a closer look at it, because it looked promising from a distance. All – or nearly all the treads continued after the 'mist' – showing that the Snap never happened. I didn't look further out into that future – so to say: on the other side of that 'mountain-top'. I should have, because then I would have discovered how the treads did thin out and how Thanos' Snap did happen, just centuries later. Thanos had just been delayed. What I can't see – and couldn't see – was how peoples' lives would be. The qualities of their lives. This reality now, Tony, is acceptable. Most people have a somewhat decent life. They didn't have that in that other reality. The Snap happened a lot later – but the World was a mess. SHIELD did rule the whole world – or almost – and had created a dystopian version of a mix of Orwell's '1984' and 'Matrix' and 'Blade Runner' and “Minority Report' or whatever. A world where normal people were almost slaves and a very limited elite had everything. SHIELD and its associates had everything. And we sorcerers did our best to protect. Even with limited resources. Things as dangerous as Dormammu or Thanos didn't show up in those years.”

 

Tony shook his head, “And all that because of time-travel...”

 

“Time-travel without proper knowledge about what to touch and what the heck to keep your hands from, yes. It wasn't a sledge-hammer any-more. It was a hoard of steam-punk bulls in a china-shop, Tony, and I was stuck.”

 

“How did you escape?”

 

“The leaders of SHIELD – and note – it was never Nick Fury – he was a much too decent man to be in that organisation, had noticed some changes and asked – no 'ordered' us to help them. I was given the Time-stone, but under strict supervision and all to well knowing that if I disappeared, a lot of sorcerers would be killed or put into jail. And now the 1.000.000 $ question, Tony.....”

 

Tony had turned and smiled and touched Stephen's face and kissed him – very gently, “How could you know, that this was just a 'future-maybe-to-be' – because you were – according to the time-line we are forced to follow – still sitting on Titan, glowing green?”

 

“My clever man – yes – how would I know? The fact is – I didn't. First as I used the Time-stone, and remember, I hadn't been allowed to use it for a long time. First as I opened the Eye, I remembered. I stopped and said I needed to talk to my fellow sorcerers – mostly Wong. I told them what I had to do – and they accepted. So I used the Time-stone – and landed on Titan again. Now I was in a sort of hurry and continued to look through futures – and found the one where you all continued – apparently – it is a bit difficult to keep track of more than 7.5 billion treads – all treads continued apart from me. And that was acceptable. So I chose that. Our 'Reality 1'.”

 

Tony looked at him and smiled, “And it turned out to be the best of all – well 'Reality 2' turned out to be the best. I love you so much Stephen.”

 

Tony snuggled closer and wrapped Stephen's strong arm around himself, “There are just a few things I do not understand.”

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

From chapter 3:

 

_Tony snuggled closer and wrapped Stephen's strong arm around himself, “There are just a few things I do not understand.”_

 

Stephen huffed and smirked, “Only a few?”

 

Tony didn't turn his head but just snuggled closer and smiled, “You berk! I am a genius, you know. But 'the wisest man knows his own lack of knowledge' and no one can know everything – so....” and then Tony stopped talking and did turn his head so he could look at Stephen. He reached up and touched the face of the man, who he had never imagined would be such a wonderful partner. Tony had found Stephen incredible handsome from the first time, he had seen him. Even if he found that the man's sense of fashion was a bit off – until he learned the origin of Stephen's blue clothing. And to discover that the man's handsome appearance did match his just as handsome and beautiful soul, well that was just a bonus.

 

“I do not understand how a mighty being as you, Stephen, can love an ordinary human being as me.”

 

Stephen frowned, “What on Earth are you talking about, Tony? I am just as much a human being as you are.”

 

Tony shook his head and touched Stephen's hands, “No...on Titan you showed your strength. And before that. You were not fighting Ebony Maw with all your strength and everything in your tool-box. He accused you of being a charlatan – a man just entertaining kids – just as I had done. In New York you were pulling your punches. But on Titan – if that purple grape hadn't had the gauntlet, you could easily have defeated him alone. You are as powerful as the Asgardians – maybe even more. Like Odin, maybe. And that without weapons. Just your mind and your hands. So tell me again, Stephen, that you are just another human being. I think – and don't take it as an accusation, Stephen, but I think you stopped being 'just a human being' long time ago. Even the mightiest beings in this galaxy admitted that they would have to listen to you! And that brings me to my next question – so please be quiet. But......how come that you don't grow tired of lil' ol' ordinary me?”

 

“Grow tired?”, asked Stephen with a frown and continued, “Why would I do that? You are a source of endless fascination for me. And you are handsome as hell – and brilliant. And don't diminish your own skill-set. You are just as much a wizard as I am, Tony. The way you can make metals and circuits and relays – not to mention your Nanites – how you can make them do the things you want them to do. For God's sake, Tony! You were in a cave and managed to build a flying armour out of scraps to get yourself out of that cave and away from your abductors and tormentors.”

 

“I got help..” mumbled Tony.

 

“Not much. You have build – and I admit – a few not so perfect versions of your suit, but now you have build a protective suit out of Nanites, which you have invented. A suit that morphs into whatever you want it to be. A suit out of a science-fiction movie. Do you know what people say about you? I think that Rhodes was the first to say it, but the others agreed – and yes, I know that Bruce made Ultron and Vision in a co-operation with you – and he is an amazing man too. Seven doctorates and every thing. But they don't say about him - and I quote Rhodes now: “ _Put Tony into a desert alone and with nothing but water for tree days. And after the three days he will come flying out of that desert in a jet made of cactus-needles and sand and his own sweat. That is how bad-ass Tony is.”_ And he is right, Tony. You are a wizard when it comes to use and understand the Western Science. And in that area you are just as amazing, as you say I am.”

 

“But...” tried Tony to say, but Stephen interrupted him, “No, Tony. No 'buts' – even if your butt is an exceptional nice and well-shaped one! And...”

 

“You!”, interrupted Tony and continued, “As if yours isn't just as magnificent – and fits the rest of you. It is not entirely fair that you have a body like Michaelangelo's David..”

 

“Hopefully not. He is five metres tall and has a very small dick!”, laughed Stephen.

 

“You idiot. Not his dick! The rest of him! Legs that continue for ever - and you are taller than me,  and a nice not to muscular body. Elegant and strong – like a dancer or an acrobat. I like your body. Your body turns me on, Stephen. Not to mention how you move. Always in control – so elegant and controlled.  Like a panther or a tiger. And your voice. Especially when you moan. It turns me so much on. I sometimes have a really hard time controlling myself and my dick around you.”

 

Stephen kissed him, and almost purred, “It is just a word, Tony. I can create a mirror-dimension any time and no one would see me strip naked with a single movement of my hand and then I'll bend over the nearest table or piece of furniture - and spread my legs, so you would have access to that arse you are so fixated on... so you can fill me with your gorgeous cock!”

 

Tony closed his eyes and could easily imagine that scenario – because Stephen had done that. Even arching his back and using his strong hands to spread his arse-cheeks even further to rile Tony up – and of course it worked. Even now. But Tony wanted answers to something that had been a small nagging feeling for some time.

 

Tony sighed, “You do and did that on purpose to distract me. But I still have some questions, Stephen. My erection can wait. So..please?”

 

Stephen kissed him, “Anything for you, Tony. So what do you want to know?”

 

Tony took a deep breath and then he moved, so he was kneeling on the bed, looking at Stephen, and then he took Stephens hands in his.

 

“Please don't misunderstand me, Love. And please don't see it as an accusation. But....you said something that made me think.”

 

Stephen frowned, “What did I say, Tony?”

 

Tony looked at him and asked with a tiny smirk, “I think that you....hm....omitted the truth, when you told me about how to look into the future. How you had to maintain that helicopter perspective. And in no way be able to 'land'. And now you just told that you could 'land' and live in some of those futures. And that made me think. Stephen, Love. How many times did you live through those 3 weeks on Titan, after you returned? Stopped being dust? And had spoken to a Goddess – and we had to wait and repair the space-ships? And we had sex the first time?”

 

Stephen looked a bit embarrassed but answered, “Only one time. I didn't have the Time-stone.”

 

And then he just looked at Tony. Looking a bit like a school-boy waiting for a scolding.

 

“Hmmm...and those three months afterwards? While we were searching for key-events and key-persons – and where you had been given the Time-stone back by the deities? You seemed so confident, so sure about what to do. And we all thought that you had seen it - glowing green on Titan. Hmm?”

 

Stephen blushed a bit and Tony almost lost it there – because a blushing Stephen was the most adorable thing Tony had ever seen. He just wanted to kiss him.

 

“I..I might have used the Time-stone a few more times, to be totally sure. About details. And saw no reason to tell you all, that I had looked at a few futures. Not on Titan – but back here on Earth.”

 

Again he looked at Tony a bit guiltily.

 

Tony just looked back and smiled and asked, “Hmm.. 'a few times'. How many?”

 

“Strictly seen, I had seen enough by the 16th......and I might have added a few more. Just to be totally sure..”

 

Tony asked again, “How many?”

 

Stephen sighed and took his hands away from Tony's and hid his face in his hands, “30 times.”

 

“And were they all alike? And did you live through them all in full length?”

 

Stephen took his hands away from his face and looked at Tony, “I did squeeze every single possible second out of those 3 months. Knowing that I would have to lie to you and make you hate me, so you would return to Pepper, when we made Reality 2. So, now you can yell at me and call me a creep and a stalker!”

 

Tony leaned forward and took Stephen's beloved face between his hands and kissed Stephen gently and said with tears in his eyes, “No – not a stalker, nor a creep. Just a man deeply in love – so much in love that he would do anything – even give his beloved away to another, because he thought it was the right thing to do. Oh Stephen – I love you so much!”

 

And Stephen leaned backwards, with Tony on top of him and they continued the kissing for a while. Then Tony stopped, and looked at Stephen, caressed his face and loved how well-kissed Stephen looked. Swollen lips and his normal perfect hair in a mess.

 

Then Tony smiled his Tony-smirk and said, “I've just realised, why you can turn me so much on. You and I have been together for almost seven and a half year! It is not fair that you know me so well and I can't return the favour. You will always be seven years ahead of me.”

 

“You do return the favour, Tony. You don't have to know me for more than seven years to turn me on. Even more so because you are willing to indulge in my more weird inclinations.”

 

Tony laughed and then he moved so his mouth was close to Stephen's ear as he said in a low voice, while he caressed Stephen's body, “You mean your submissive tendencies and that you like a bit of pain? I didn't know I had it in me, but seeing you kneeling on the bed the first time, as you showed me how you had 'played' even before you ruined your hands. Seeing you kneeling there – with 'Dr. Young's rectal dilators up your arse, nipple-clamps on your nipples and fucking that flesh-light – your head thrown back and your eyes closed in ecstasy; that was the most erotic thing, I had ever seen in my life. And as you moaned, you almost made me come on the spot – and later, when I was a part of the preparation: I was the one opening you up – stretching you wide with the new anal plugs. I was the one to put your new nipple-clamps on your hard and ready nipples...” -

 

Right there Tony touched Stephen's nipples and squeezed them a bit and Stephen made a small sound in the back of his throat and closed his eyes - and Tony continued, whispering into Stephen's ear, “.. and you would be stretched out on the bed – restrained by my Nanites. A feast for me to enjoy and I would be the one putting the well-lubed and transparent flesh-light on your gorgeous cock and see how your cock would move inside the clear cylinder – I could see how your foreskin would move over your cock-head and I would know how much you would enjoy that feeling. And I would drag it out and be doing it slowly on purpose and you would enjoy it immensely. Because I would hear it in your voice and in the way you would moan and it would turn me so much on, because I could hear how much you were enjoying it: me controlling your pleasure and small sparks of 'almost-pain'.”

 

Tony stopped talking and moved his hand down towards Stephen's rock-hard erection. He took a firm grip and used the pre-come, which was welling up through Stephen's slit and Tony began to imitate the movements of the said flesh-light. Stephen arched his back....and moaned. And then he opened his eyes and smiled, “One-one to you Tony. Fair game. I did rile you up before, but stop please. I want to make love to you – but not right now. Because you had more questions, didn't you?”

 

Tony stopped and smiled, kissed Stephen and asked,  “I have. You didn't see this future – did you?”

 

Stephen shook his head, “No. And I am only going to use the Time-stone if things get desperate. We did stretch the 'fabric-of-life' – the time-line – to its bursting point as we created 'Reality 2'. Maybe even beyond the bursting point. To use the picture, I use before: the first domino-tile in the row was wobbling badly. I somehow think that even the deities were given extra permission to fiddle with the time-line. We didn't go back to the WW2, but we did travel 3 years back in time – to Nidavellir. I think we managed to avoid time-related catastrophes because Nidavellir has always been rather isolated. And we didn't use a sledge-hammer – nor bulls in a china-shop. And we managed, because we re-created a time-line that was supposed to be. Using the Time-stone any more that I did, it could be very dangerous – or maybe not at all. But I don't dare. Didn't dare. Only helicopter-perspective. Nothing more. So no – I didn't see you and me together. I didn't see Pepper allowing us to be together. All I could see, was our treads continuing, nothing more.”

 

Stephen turned so he could see Tony's eyes and he took Tony's face between his elegant hands and kissed him slowly.

 

“I had never dreamed that I could have something like this, Tony. You. Everything I have been through, every doubt, every pain, every torture in Dormammu's realm, every monster that I had to fight, every thing I had to endure – it has been worth it, if it was the things bringing me to you. I love you so much Tony.”

 

“And I could say the same – well apart from the bit with Dormammu. I love you so much, Stephen. So much.”

 

And they began to kiss again. And touch.

 

 

(fade to black)

 

 

 

 


End file.
